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The 2022 red Burgundies are quickly becoming one our favorite vintages. From the warmest, driest year in recent memory, winemakers managed to craft vibrant and beautifully balanced wines, sporting low alcohol and classic Burgundian finesse. They’re modern in their sunny polish, but traditional in their middleweight, elegant textures. If this is the future of Burgundy, sign us up.
Cyril Gautheron makes a wide range of wines from his family domaine in Chablis. They’re all from the same grape of course (Chardonnay), and all from the same town (Chablis). But the range from Petit Chablis up to Grand Cru covers an enormous range of terroir and expression. Each is carefully and beautifully crafted, leading Jasper Morris MW to call him “a superb producer.”
Most Burgundy drinkers are familiar with the Clos Vougeot, a 12th century castle surrounded by an enormous Grand Cru vineyard. It’s a cultural and viticultural landmark of Burgundy – impeccably preserved, and worth a stop on your next visit to the region. But even seasoned collectors are usually less familiar with the rest of the […]
Alsace is a gorgeous winegrowing region – bucolic hillsides of vines surround fairytale villages on a sunny, east-facing ridge. Its wines can be similarly charming: expressive and delicate with beautiful fruit and vibrant textures. Our source here, the Domaine Charles Frey, is a family of committed biodynamic vingerons, producing wines of freshness and balance.
No Ansonia winemaker has captured more readers’ attention in the last few years than Pierre Vessigaud. We get emails with comments like “the wines are so alive,” and “as good as Meursault but half the price.” We’re not surprised – we find ourselves reaching for Vessigaud’s wines more often every month.
Chateau Cantemerle is an extremely old Bordeaux property dating back to the 12th century, and recognized as a “fifth growth” in the 1855 classification. Today they produce a serious, well-priced Left Bank Bordeaux that hits a terrific balance of value, polish, and drinkability. The blend is roughly ⅔ Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Vincent Boyer continues to steer his family’s Meursault domaine with tact and style. His sister Sylvie joined him a few years ago – her passion is viticulture, and her focus on the vineyards has freed Vincent up to focus on cellar work. Today the frère-et-soeur team is at the top of their game, turning out magnificent wines year and year out.
Sablet is a classic Southern Rhône town. Its 9th century streets are home to 1400 residents, a couple of boulangeries, and a handful of restaurants and wineries. Winemaker Eric Chauvin is a Sablet resident (also a volunteer firefighter), and it’s also the location of his tiny excellent Domaine le Souverain. We usually purchase Eric’s terrific Séguret, made from vines in the next town over, and indeed the 2023 Séguret is in stock and terrific.
single cuvée of white. Pierre’s grandfather Jean first planted vines here 50 years ago, and identified a single plot as well-suited to Chardonnay. (It turned out later he was proven right when a geological survey showed the vineyard contained a soil composition very similar to nearby Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne.)
Last year we introduced Nicolas Ragot’s terrific Givrys to our portfolio, and they’ve been a real hit. Ragot is a thoughtful winemaker with a real innovative streak – he’s constantly refining his techniques, experimenting with amphoras, whole clusters, and even lighter weight bottles. He’s part of an exciting wave of winemakers pushing the limits on what’s possible from once humble appellations in the Côte Chalonnaise.
The 2022 red Burgundies arrived about a year ago, and they’ve quickly become a reader favorite vintage. From the warmest, driest year in recent memory, they are nonetheless vibrant and beautifully balanced, sporting low alcohol and classic Burgundian finesse. It’s a magnificent vintage, and one we expect to enjoy for many years to come.
We have worked with the Vessigaud family for just a few vintages, but there’s no producer we’re more excited to have in our portfolio. Vessigaud’s Demeter certified (the highest Biodynamic level) winemaking is clear, consistent and outstanding. White Burgundies from the Maconnais are gaining attention for their quality and value these days – all you need to understand why is a glass of Pouilly-Fuissé from Vessigaud. As William Kelley writes, “succulent but serious, any bottle bearing Vessigaud’s label is worth seeking out.”
The Viré-Clessé from Forces Telluriques has become one of the most popular white Burgundies in our portfolio – and not for lack of competition. It’s magnificent, unoaked, biodynamic Chardonnay, and while you won’t find the Forces Telluriques label on any CellarTracker accounts (except Ansonia customers), but the wine in the bottle is from an iconic Mâconnais source with an exclusive importer for the primary label.
Regular readers will know Gautier Desvignes, the humble, friendly, thirtysomething winemaker who has transformed his modest family domaine into a top name in the region. William Kelley writes that Desvignes is “one of the leading lights in the Côte Chalonnaise,” and we wholeheartedly agree.
Master of Wine Jasper Morris writes that “Cyril Gautheron is a superb producer making wines in a crisp cool classically Chablis style, which is now really quite hard to achieve in these warmer seasons.” Much Chablis has gotten riper and rounder in the last decade, but for something steely, stony and crisp, we always reach […]